But she carried it off triumphantly. "Well," said she, "I hope you're free for the fifteenth?" "The fifteenth?" "Yes, or any other evening. We want to give a little dinner, dear, to you and to your husband--for him to meet all your friends." Anne tried not to look too grateful. The upward way, then, was being prepared for him. Beneficent intelligences were at work, influences were in the air, helping her to raise him. In her gladness she had failed to see that, considering the very obvious nature of the civility, Fanny Eliott was making the least shade too much of it. CHAPTER VII Anne presented herself that evening in her husband's study with a sheaf of visiting cards in her hand. She thought it possible that she might obtain further illumination by confronting him with them. "Walter," said she "all these people have called on us. What do you think I'd better do?" "I think you'll have to call on them some day." "All of them?" He took the cards from her and glanced through them. "Let me see. Charlie Gorst--we must be nice to him." "Is _he_ nice?" "I think so. Edie's very fond of him." "And Mrs. Lawson Hannay?" "Oh, you must call on her." "Shall I like her." "Possibly. You needn't see much of her if you don't." "Is it easy to drop people?" "Perfectly." "And what about Mrs. Ransome?" He frowned. "Has _she_ called?" "Yes." "I'll find out when she's not at home and let you know. You can call then." A fourth card he tore up and threw into the fire. "Some people have confounded impudence." Anne went away confirmed in her impression that Walter had a large acquaintance to whom he was by no means anxious to introduce his wife. He might, she reflected, have incurred the connection through the misfortune of his business. The life of a ship-owner in Scale was fruitful in these embarrassments. But if these disagreeable people indeed belonged to the period she mentally referred to as his "past," she was not going to tolerate them for an instant. He must give them up. She judged that he was prepared for so much renunciation. She hoped that he would, in time, adopt her friends in place of them. He was inclined, after all, to respond amicably to Mrs. Eliott's overtures.